Railway signal torpedo



F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1918.

'1,404,5 14 Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES FRANK BUTCHER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL RAIL- WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed October 28, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DUroHnn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Torpedoes, of which the following is a. specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, and it pertains to improvements in the strap or member by which the torpedo is attached to the rail.

The primary object of my present invention is to effect a saving in the amount of material required for the rail-engaging strap by which the torpedo is attached to the railroad rail.

Another object of my invention is to make the strap in two parts and to connect the ends of the two parts separately to the torpedo ease.

Another object of my invention is to make the rail-engaging strap in two separate parts, omitting the part of the strap or member which ordinarily extends across the body of the torpedo ease, and to thereby aecomplish a saving in the amount of material required for the rail-attaching member.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is an inverted perspective view of a torpedo embodying my present improvement.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of a torpedo with my improvement attached thereto, showing a slight modification in the manner of attaching the ends of the rail-engaging member or case.

Figure 4 is a detached perspective view of the ends of the rail-engaging member or strap which are attached to the torpedo, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the side wall of the torpedo case, showing a slight modification in the formation of the attached ends of the rail-engagin member.

0 far as I am aware, the rail-attaching strap or member has heretofore been formed of one piece and has extended across .the body of the case. These strap-attaching members have been most generally ,con-

Specification of Letters Patent.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Serial No. 259,943.

structed of lead straps, and in some instances the rail-attaching member or strap has been made of spring steel. It has also been proposed to make them of wire, but so far as I am aware, the only two types of rail-attaching members now in practical use are composed of lead straps and spring steel straps, by far the greater number utilizing the lead strap.

I have here illustrated my improvement as applied to lead straps and to a specific construction of a circular form 01" torpedo.

My invention, however, in its generic sense is not limited to the type or shape of the torpedo case, as my improvement may be applied practically to all shapes of torpedoes.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown applied to a torpedo in which the case has its side wall formed of. a paper ring 1, its top of a paper disk 2, and the lower wall of a disk 3. Placed between the top disk 2 and the lower disk 3, is a suitable explosive 4, preferably of the tablet form. I11 the construction of case shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a third disk 5 is inserted within the ring 1, which in this specific form makes a double-wall bottom for the case composed of the disks 3 and 5.

The improvement in the rail-engaging strap or member consists in making it in two parts 6 and 7, both of which are alike. In the form shown in F igs. 1 and 2, the ring or side wall 1 is provided with oppositely disposed notches 8, and the upper ends of the strap members 6 and 7 have oppositely disposed notches 9, which interlock with the ring 1, by being placed in the said notches, as shown, and with their inner extremities 10 located between the disks 3 and 5. Preferably all three of the disks will be cemented at their peripheries in any suitable manner (not shown) for holding the disks in place and to make a water-tight joint between the peripheries of the disks and the ring 1.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that in this construction of rail-engaging member or strap, the strap does not pass all the way across the case of the torpedo, as heretofore, and as a consequence, the amount of material between the ends 10 of the strap members is saved.

The saving of material, and thereby the cost of the torpedo, is important and will be appreciated in View or" the fact that al though torpedoes are generally sold at a cost of two cents apiece and sometimes less, they are sold inlarge quantities, running into the millions by the year, so that a slight saving in material and thereby of the cost is important to the manufacturer. Especially is that so when, as now, the cost of material has so greatly increased.

In the large quantity or torpedoes sold the saving in the lead will amount to a large quantity or" material in the aggregrat-e and to considerable saving in the manufacture of the torpedo. Torpedoes selling so cheap thereby leaving only a small margin of profit per each to 'pedo, a slight saving to the manufacturer means just that much additional profit. The saving of this material is the primary object of the present invention.

In Figs. 1. and 2, it will be observed that the inner and upper ends 01 the strap members 6 and 7 are held in phce within the double bottom or the case, consisting of the disks 3 and 5, and are prevented from having end-wise movement by the shoulders of the notches 9 interlocking with the side wall or ring 1.

In Fig. 8, show a modification in the construction of the bottom of the case in that the lower disk 5 of Figs. 1 and 2 is omitted, and in the place of the lower disk 5, I use a cement 11, preferably of a waterproof character which fills in the space between the bottom 8 and the extending lower edge of the ring 1. In this latter construction the cement 11, serves to hold the bot tom 3 in place and also serves to hold the ends 10 of the strap members 6 and 7 in place and serves the function of the disk 5 in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 5, the modification consists in forming a ring 1 with an opening 8 instead of a notch, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and in crimping the inner end o1 the strap-members 6* and 7, as shown at 9"-, to prevent the strap members from being pulled longitudinally.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 5, may be used in connection with the bottom formation 01"- either Figs. 2 or 8, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters ratent is- 1. An improved railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive containing case and separate rail-attaching members attached to opposite edges of the case, the upper ends of the rad-engaging members interlocklng with the case and having short inner ends instead of extending across the case to thereby save material.

parts, the upper end of each part interlocking with the side Wall of the case, and each member having a short upper end instead of extending across the case to thereby save material.

3. An improved railway signal torpedo, comprising an explosive containing case, of a railengaging member comprising two separate parts, the upper end of each part interlocking with the side wall of the case, for the purpose described.

at. An improved railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive containing case, and a rail engaging member comprising two separate parts, the side wall of the case having openings at opposite points, and the upper end of each part of the rail-engaging member passing through one of the said openings and being attached to the bottom of the case. r

5. An improved railway signal torpedo comp 'ising an explosive containing case, the side wall thereof having openings, and a rail-engaging member comprising two separate parts, the upper end of each part passing through one of said openings and having adjacent its upper end shoulders adapted to interlock with the side wall of the case, and additional means for attaching the inner end of each member to the case.

6. An improved railway signal torpedo comprising an explosive containing case having oppositely arranged notches in its side wall, and a rail-engaging member comprising two separate parts, the upper end of each part extending into one of said case openings and provided with a notch to engage the side wall of the case, for the purpose described. i

7. The combination, in a track torpedo, of a container provided with strap-receiving apertures, and headed rail-engaging straps adapted to said apertures and held to the container by said extended heads.

8. The combination, in a track torpedo, or a fibrous container provided with strap-receiving apertures, a plurality of headed rail-en aging straps adapted to said apertures, and means for securing said xtended heads of the straps to said casing.

In testimony whereof l hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANK BUTCHER. 

